Broccoli crunch salad

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This broccoli crunch salad is rich in nutrients, super easy to make and perfect for your cookouts. The broccoli salad can be served  as a side dish for roasted chicken, grilled salmon,  veggies casseroles or any other main dish. For me, this is the best broccoli salad I’ve ever had. It’s super crunchy and crispy, full of good healthy ingredients, vegan, dairy-free and can be prepared ahead of time. I love to enjoy this raw broccoli salad also as a main dish, adding some gluten-free croutons or grissini.

Is this a healthy broccoli salad?

Yes it is! Most of broccoli salads calls for mayonnaise as dressing, nothing wrong with mayo but for a light and healthy salad I prefer to leave it out and go with something more mediterranean, like a good quality extra virgin olive oil and white or modena balsamic vinegar.

Some tips for a perfect broccoli crunch salad:

1. You can leave out the ingredients that you don’t like and replace them with your favourite ones. Like taking out the chickpeas and adding some nuts instead. Or switch the raw onions for shredded carrots. There are a lot of possibilities!
2. Take your time to chop your vegetables. You won’t like to find big chunks of broccoli or raw onions but to have them finely chopped.
3. Allow the salad to sit for at least 2 hours before serving. This will make your salad more juicy and flavoured. If you make it ahead of time DON’T add broccoli the day before, instead just chop it, put in a container and then throw it to the mix the day after.
4. If you hate the flavour of raw broccoli you can blanch it. Add the florets to a pot of boiling water and turn off the heat. Let them sit for 2-3 minutes then drain and cool. Your broccoli is now ready for this recipe.

How do I make this vegan broccoli salad

I start preparing the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, both vinegars, some drops of lemon. Add a pinch of salt, one more of ground cumin, chili powder and fresh ground pepper. Add honey and whisk until combined.

Wash and chop the broccoli and red onions. Separate the broccoli florets from the stems. Peel the stems and chop finely everything into small, bite-sized pieces.

Rinse chickpeas. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Bake at 210°C/400F°  for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Season with cumin, pepper and chili powder. Let sit until they reach room temperature.

In a mixing bowl combine broccoli, onions, toasted chickpeas,  sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Pour over the vinaigrette, season with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Mix and serve.

Need more ideas for your cookouts?:

• Italian rice salad 
• Pineapple pico de gallo
• Mediterranean pasta salad

Broccoli crunch salad

4

Maricruz

This broccoli salad can be served  as a side dish for roasted chicken, grilled salmon,  veggies casseroles or any other main dish. For me, this is the best broccoli salad I've ever had.

Super crunchy and crispy, full of good healthy ingredients, vegan, dairy-free and can be prepared ahead of time. I love to enjoy this raw broccoli salad also as a main dish, adding some gluten-free croutons or grissini.

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  

• 500 gr broccoli
• 100 gr red onions
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds /toasted
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds /toasted
• chili powder
• salt & pepper

For the vinaigrette

• 30 gr extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp modeda balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp agave honey
• lemon /few drops
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper

For crispy chickpeas

• 160 gr canned chickpeas
• 2 tsp olive oil
• cumin chili powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper, /to taste

Instructions

 

• Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, both vinegars, some drops of lemon. Add a pinch of salt, one more of ground cumin, chili powder and fresh ground pepper. Add honey and whisk until combined.
• Make crispy chickpeas: Rinse chickpeas. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat. Bake at 210°C/400F°  for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Season with cumin, garlic, pepper and chili powder. Let sit until they reach room temperature.
• Go ahead with veggies: Wash and chop the broccoli and red onions. Separate the broccoli florets from the stems. Peel the stems and chop finely everything into small, bite-sized pieces.
• Make salad: In a mixing bowl combine broccoli, onions, toasted chickpeas,  sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Pour over the vinaigrette, season with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Mix and serve.

Notes

If you find toasted and seasoned chickpeas, you can add those (1 cup) instead making your own. It will save you lots of time.

Course guarniciones